The French president, who shared a unusual, much-reported upon handshake with Trump in July a year ago, made the comments in a Sunday interview with the BBC'sAndrew Marr Show. But our context was very different, so I don't want to take any bets.

"You always take a risk when you ask in a referendum yes or no on a very complicated subject".

"But I think it is a mistake to just ask yes or no when you don't ask people how to improve the situation and to explain how to improve it", he added. "Towards free market without any rules and any convergence".

Macron fought the last round of 2017's French presidential election against the National Front - a far-right party that campaigned to restrict the benefits of immigrants in France and to quit the EU. But there is not cherry-picking in the single market. If you want access to financial services, be my guest - but it means you have to contribute to the budget, and accept European jurisdiction.

He added that full access to the European Union for the UK's financial services sector was "not feasible" outside the single market.

Macron visited a Toyota plant in northern France before heading to the evening business event at the chateau of Versailles, in the presence of 15 French government ministers. A message was sent when he summoned 925 lawmakers to the 17th century palace built outside Paris by Louis XIV - the "Sun King".

"To every business leader across the world: here is why you should invest in France", Macron wrote on his tweeter account. He had since threatened to overrule lawmakers with a referendum if they try to frustrate the "reforms" he wishes to impose on the legislature.